𝘞 𝘏 𝘌 𝘕 𝘙 𝘈 𝘐 𝘕 𝘍 𝘈 𝘓 𝘓 𝘚

iron, after gabbie hanna.

when i was young,
my mom used to check if the iron was hot by touching it.
and now that i am grown,
i find myself doing
the same.

i check his teeth when he smiles,
to see if they are sharp.
i check his hands when he holds mine,
to see if they are rough.
and at night,
i listen close to his heart
and sometimes i feel as if its pattern is beckoning me in.

my mom used to burn her fingers on the iron,
and it curled and crisped against the metal,
steam billowing from where the two touched.
she would draw back fast.

i have not done the same.
he smiles with his teeth
at the burns against my fingers.
when he holds my hands now,
i know my fingers are trembling
and they are crisp.
at night,
i'm afraid my heart will stop due to unmarkered fingers
around my throat.

— iron, after gabbie hanna.